1. Field
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to electronic devices, and more particularly to methods and apparatuses for use in providing selected positioning assistance data to mobile stations via at least one device associated with at least one node of a self-organizing network.
2. Information
Among other things, existing wireless communication networks and carrier infrastructures may enable observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA) and/or advanced forward link trilateration (AFLT) techniques for estimating a position and/or location of a mobile station. Here, with knowledge of the locations of neighboring base station transmitters and time-reference data, a mobile station may determine a range to such base station transmitters based upon measured signal propagation delays. Mobile stations typically receive information about such base stations, such as, locations of neighboring base stations and time-reference data as “assistance data” that is provided to the mobile stations from the base station nodes themselves. Such assistance data may include, for example, relative transmit time between base stations, the location of nearest base stations, the location of a serving base station, etc., which may be used to enable a position fix. Such assistance data is typically received from a serving base station.
To expand coverage, wireless communication networks and carrier infrastructures have been incorporating nodes as part of a self organizing network (SON). Such nodes may comprise femtocells which may be installed by homeowners and small business owners to expand and/or augment coverage where not adequately provided by existing base stations in the communication network. However, a femtocell is typically not provisioned to participate in the process of providing OTDOA or AFLT positioning services. For example, a SON node is typically not provisioned with assistance data and, therefore, is not capable of providing desired assistance data to mobile handsets for performing OTDOA or AFLT.